


Hannibal Rambles/Imagines

by blankdblank



Series: Hannibal Rambles/Imagines [1]
Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Bloodlust, Fluff and Angst, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Murder, Smut, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-01
Updated: 2018-12-28
Packaged: 2019-04-30 17:03:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 19,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14501559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blankdblank/pseuds/blankdblank
Summary: Kinda sorta a loose sequel to Trusting the Dragon. Smut in it with a twist at the end. Hope you like it!





	1. Francis and the Haunted Blender

Tired from a particularly irritating day of dealing with his coworkers Francis exited his van eyeing the small car revealing the presence of his best friend within his home causing his brow to raise at what could possibly have brought on this sudden visit. Entering and leaving his coat by the door he followed the soft playing of the radio, that only came to life when you visited, finding you in the kitchen.  
With a spike of his pulse his feet came to a halt seeing you on your knees before the sink on all fours drawing a dry swallow from him at your body flexing and arching through your scrubbing. Of what he had no care to know his attention was entirely devoted to your motions drawing an unnoticed reaction he’d refused to admit you brought from him for fear of losing you with your obviously expected refusal.  
Sliding his fingers across his lips covering his mouth to hide the trail his tongue made across them as he trailed the flex of your luscious thighs his eyes darted up to yours as you straightened and turned spitting a pair of shoes in the doorway.  
With his eyes raising he eyed the layer of what seemed to be chocolate coating you and the inside of his sink next to the freshly scrubbed blender you claimed to be haunted. With raised hands you rose to your bare feet revealing the daisy dukes and tight nearly sheer pale pink tank top coated in the mixture across your front with a small puddle formed in the front of your cleavage fighting to claim his entire attention, “Now before you get mad it was an accident. It was the blender!”  
Lowering his hand your eyes dropped to a rare smirk easing your nerves, “Really now? And just what did my blender spit up all over you and the kitchen?”  
“I wanted to surprise you with a chocolate mousse cake but that damn blender..” his smirk grew as you glared at the appliance.  
Walking closer his finger rose quite unintentionally to swipe along your cheek and popped in his mouth drawing a larger smirk as he said, “Delicious. And just what brought on this sudden baking trip?”  
It was your turn to raise your brow, “It’s your birthday.”  
Blinking he thought back to the date softly replying, “Hmm, so it is.”  
Eyeing the mixture sliding down your neck causing his tongue to dart out and taste it after the lean he didn’t realize he’d made drawing a giggle that drew him back to reality again. Pulling back his body stopped a few inches from your face as he said, “Tell me to stop if you want.” Shifting closer to to you anxiously dreading the silence you were exuding. “I said.”  
“I heard you.” Reaching up sliding your hand along his neck landing your lips against his urging his body to melt against yours stealing a firm grip of your thigh to lift you to the counter. Melding his lips and tongue with yours before his lips and tongue found your skin again drawing giggles from you through your fumbling with the buttons on his shirt removing it as he purred, “Seems some of it trying to hide from me.” Cupping your chest playfully before lowering the thin layer and your bra along your sides to claim all of it chuckling between licks softly as you couldn’t help but giggle through it. Soon enough you were more or less locked clean and you both panted through his claiming of you on the cold tile counter in this spontaneous wave of lust you both caved to.  
Resting shakily against each other after your joint climax another soft chuckle cake from your only means of support as he withdrew and raised you gaining another giggle as he carried you for a shared shower.  
Returning back down again changed into your spare panties you’d left here from your forgotten clothes for another of your visits and one of Francis’ shirt back down to the kitchen where he aimed to prove you wrong about the blender once and for all. Mixing the batch he smirked eyeing you on the counter where he’d placed you before adding the mixture to the blender and easily got it to the consistency he wanted and readied to remove the lid as you warned, “Careful.”  
His eyes narrowed with a disbelieving sigh that soon ended as his jaw dropped open at the sudden turn of the blades shooting the mixture all over him and you as well as most of the kitchen causing him to double check that he’d unplugged it and glance at you dumbfounded. “I told you. Haunted.”  
A smirk slid across his face as he felt your finger swipe his cheek drawing him to move closer to you gripping your thighs to circle him through his next heated kiss. Pulling back he purred, “Next year skip the cake and just coat yourself in chocolate.” Drawing another giggle from you as the heated game started all over again.


	2. Hannibal ideas

Singing Starving by Hailey Steinfeld around Francis or Hannibal and they secretly love it and start to join in when you sing it again.  
…  
Being Hannibal’s reception he loves- protective attraction but he refuses to get you in trouble if he gets caught so he refuses to act on his feelings.  
One day you get a text alert from your home security system you got after our abusive ex.  
“Looks like the raccoons back to stealing from my garage. Gotta change that cat door.”  
Hannibal- “What now?”  
You show him the video on the phone- “I get these alerts when something triggers my motion detector alarm outside my house.”  
His face nearly pales, “So every time something moves you get an alert?”  
Without looking up you reply, “Are you asking about the times you’ve let yourself in to leave groceries or when you snapped my abusive exes neck and shoved him in your trunk?”  
He blinks at you and you smile.  
“I’m the last person that’s going to say anything about it. I have great hours and benefits. Not to mention the spontaneous shifts off when you make me leave so I won’t see you staring at that Agent. If you want next time I can knock him out so you can eat him already.”  
His brow raises and he reaches behind him for a sedative and a syringe. “What makes you think I want to eat anyone?”  
“You look at him how I look at a five course dinner where all the courses are thick juicy steaks. Oh and the vial you’re reaching for please don’t grab the _ I’m allergic to it. Unless you’re going to kill me anyways. But I should warn you it’s really a painful way to go so if you wouldn’t mind smothering me before the convulsions start please.”  
He turns grabbing another vial and reads the name, “This one?”  
You rock your hand from side to side, “I get a fuzzy feeling on my tongue when I wake up after but then again I guess it doesn’t matter. Just be prepared I’m going to haunt you after.” His brow raises again, “Oh you’ll never be able to keep any of your appointments or files straight again. I’ll be the last receptionist you ever have.”  
He smirks, “Really now?” His eyes narrow, “Wait, that was two years ago..”  
You nod, “Mhmm. But go ahead and kill me if you feel the urge. Oh and Mrs Henderson called she’s stuck in traffic and will be a little late.”  
He accepts the file you offer him, “Does that mean you knew about the surprise party I threw as well?” With an expression close to pouting.  
You smirk, “I didn’t need the video you couldn’t stop grinning when I told you the date and you kept ‘subtly’ asking what my favorite cake was.”  
“I owe you a raise.”  
“You could just ask me to dinner. No people though. Ooh unless it’s that guy from the donut shop across the street. No wait then again he’s a moron he’d probably ruin the whole meal.” He smirks and chuckles turning to enter his office again.


	3. Trusting the Dragon

Schedules and silence mostly filled Francis’ daily life. That is until the beaming young woman from across the street returned from her job overseas. A photographer working freelance traveling the world returning only with the passing of her Grandmother, the ancient haunting relic of her friend, the woman who had tormented him through his childhood. Once again upon the moment of touching her feet to the ground a beaming ray of sunlight surrounded her, all through the years of watching her grow the light grew and lingered in her beaming amber eyes.   
________________________________________  
Pure sunlight drew the woman through his every waking thought, with only her light able to silence the whispers of the beast within. Prowling and scratching from within with ragged breaths the Dragon begging him on to become, hushed to silence forming a stalking stance around the woman. Not to kill but to claim. Every inch of her down to her very soul, breath and thought the Dragon was hers and he ached to claim her in return, never relenting and drawing his host to relinquish all hopes of another to succeed in this conquest on behalf of the beast.  
Roaming silently clawing and scratching followed by silence marked her presence with a shift in his very own heartbeat. A deep echoing thump always announced her, blind to the world he would still be able to view her fully, completely facing away he could trace each of her moments down to each strand of her glowing tightly curled raven hair that trailed behind her forming a glowing trail of bouncing shadows clinging to her for dear life. Trailing across her gold emitting skin his fingers without touch could feel the unclaimed sinfully silky skin his lips yearned to taste.   
For others his teeth would grit wondering what it would be like to chomp and tear pieces free from their form but not her, not his Golden Angel. No, the Dragon would never allow her flesh to be broken. No one and nothing was to ever bring harm to her should it claim his very life, in search to bring that unspoken vow to life. Words abandoned him and even with the silver tongue of the beast he bore a single informal syllable could leave him in the mounting pressure not to fail in this conquest.  
..  
Lunch found Francis strolling as casually as he could manage as the beast’s claws started to flex beginning his first scratch under the skin coating his chest as a familiar golden light radiated from the diner on the corner that drew him without any control of his body that moved to the same open booth that always awaited him. Off in the corner with full view of the woman carrying a tray of food out to one of the more crowded tables before sliding the empty tray on the counter accepting the drink Francis would no doubt order blindly with a comforting smile that nearly blinded him forcing his eyes from the pure sunlight escaping them.  
Resting the tall glass of golden apple juice radiating a golden hue from her now absent touch drew his eyes as the honey coated voice soared around him blocking out every other sound and soaked through his very skin asking for his order. With a knowing smile on her haunting lips as the same order escaped him without a glance at the menu he avoided eyeing. One order always found its way to him, “Meatloaf”, plain and simple, hard to ruin, near impossible to stutter with a set list of sides he wouldn’t have to list.   
Eyeing her posture a brief nod later he eyed the cook already fashioning his meal, the claiming of his order only a curious formality, hopefully a silent yearning of his company on your part. Relaxing of tension her body twisted in a step back with a lingering smile. Folding her glowing hands behind her back strolling with crossing steps through her path to stop at another table. Sending her hair into another ending sway before resting along her back again as her beaming smile was flashed at the undeserving couple five tables over, drawing a possessive growl from the Dragon.  
Dropping his eyes again to keep from charging at them and tearing her away to the lingering glow from the glass of juice his hand eagerly folded around imagining a warmth her touch had left in this glowing glass of pure sunlight. And raised it for a soothing soul restoring sip of the life sustaining connection to you he downed every day you presented it to him. Setting the glass down again your presence would always be a step away with another glass and a tray. Bearing the full meal he’d ordered drawing a frail smirk ghosted across his lips accepting the meal and silverware before your parting to return to your spot behind the counter sharing a giggle with another waitress from a hushed conversation. Focusing on the meal before him his knife and fork worked with each silent tick of the watch on his wrist between draining sips of his drink before setting the money on the table ensuring a large tip before returning to work.  
..  
Pouring sheets of rain surrounded the grocery store Francis was currently stalking through. The scratching grew louder and more frantic down his chest as the familiar stinging pain of the echoing thump of his heart while silence fell around him. Every hair on his body rose feeling you on his right, passing the aisle he shopped on the opposite side moving through grabbing his brief selection and silently lingering on the spot your radiating light poured through behind the selection of green beans. Then claimed a single random can to silence the curiosity of an employee eyeing him and moving to the next aisle, matching your pace as you moved to the one he was currently roaming.  
Item by item his basket filled forcing a stretch from the muscles in his arm bearing the weight as he heard your echoing breath over the patient footsteps unknowingly leading the coiling Dragon in a rumbling prowl among the ignorant crowds. Trailing you forward to the registers, blindly tracing your glow as it headed for the door and the sheets of water only bearing the possibility of danger drawing rough deep throated guttural growls echoing in his mind. Clutching his bags his boots rested at your side stealing a glance at your chained bike blankly saying, “Miss-ss.” His jaw clenched at the weakness he’d revealed, mentally slamming his palms into his forehead as he forced his gaze forward at your beaming eyes sliding up his tall frame and landing on his face.  
“Mr Dolarhyde?” His head tilted to glance at the bike again choosing to keep his eyes from resting directly on you, only having the courage to watch you in his peripheral. “I get your mail sometimes, just slide it in your box.”  
He nodded flatly saying, “I’ll drive you home.”  
His body tensed at your large smile he knew he hadn’t come close to earning yet, “Thank you, that’s very kind of you.” Nodding he placed his bags in the child seat of your cart and rested his hand on the cart continuing his path to his waiting van as you turned to unchain your bike and followed after him fully accepting the coating of water drenching you instantly.   
Reaching the opened back doors of the van filled with your bags Francis turned collecting your bike easily raising it as if it was weightless to set it inside and close the door before him with his left hand. His right however reached out finding a warm sting akin to a mild warning for an impending burn at his large hand landing on yours as you eased the door closer to his reach. Recoiling his hand he blinked and swallowed claiming a grip on the door much lower than yours as you released it to shut it saying, “You’re wet. Get in.”  
Turning you bit back a giggle as he rushed to return the cart to the corral as you climbed inside the passenger seat. Fighting a shiver back watching him move around the van through the mirrors before he climbed in himself and stated the drive back to your houses after the roar of the engine. Silence lingered through the ride that Francis took each chance to steal glances at you as you faced forward lingering on your assumption of allowing him to approach you on his own pace.  
.  
The final turn granted another glance as he parked under the cover stemming from your front door stretching over the circular driveway and exited as you did. Smiling again as you collected the half of your grocery bags he hadn’t claimed to lead him inside as he one handedly clutched your bike and set it beside the front door as you unlocked it and allowed him inside. Following your motions he wiped his boots in the same spot you had avoiding treading on your rug as you had.   
Sparing the mat the dripping moisture eyeing the house so similar to his in a darker shade of wood with far more porcelain decorative plates and figurines coated in dust and facing away from the glass doors of the display cases he passed. The warmth stemming from the well maintained kitchen revealed where your heart lied after his glimpse into the warm and comforting study with a full desk coated in various cases of film and cameras.  
Lowering the bags to the counter as he rumbled out, “I realize I’m not the type of man you’d normally accept a ride from. But if you wish we could make this a common trip between you and I.”  
His eyes timidly stole a glance watching as your hand rested on the marble counter turning to face him with a growing smile, “So far you seem like exactly the type of man I would accept a ride from. If it’s something you’re freely offering I’ll agree to it, however if you merely with to do it out of some feeling of obligations towards me there’s no need to force you through it.”  
Digging through the bags as you had done numbly his hands carried your purchases to their homes giving him a clear view of your culinary pattern. Turning as the last was placed away he turned drawing a steady breath  
Jutting out his hand firmly, “Francis.”  
Your smile grows as you say, “Jaqi Pear.” Nodding through his nearly burning handshake his skin hungrily soaked up the radiating burn and nearly clutched tighter as your hand slid free from his at him mindless release before dropping it and moving to turn and leave.   
Pausing at the end of the counter Francis’ hand rested on the counter as you said, “I have a Cousin.” Turning fully he faced you straightening his posture as the Dragon flexed his wings through his back awaiting this sudden confession. “He’s autistic, doesn’t really speak much. And I don’t mean to upset you. From what my Grandmother had mentioned about you before, I know you’ve had trouble with speech and touch.” His brow raised through his jaw clenching as the Dragon started to growl inside him through his poorly masked glare, “Merely what I’m trying to say is, when we spend time together, my Cousin and I, we rarely talk. Just spend time together, sometimes not even sharing an activity mainly a space.” Dimming slightly his glare shifted to a bewildered gaze at your sudden sharing, “What I mean, is if you ever want someone to spend time with. Quiet or not I’m open to it and whatever limits you set.”  
Narrowing his eyes at you through the deafening silence from the Dragon within, “Even if we didn’t talk at all? Not a word?”  
You nodded, “For whatever reason it is, nerves or something deeper past your former stammer. But it would only be if you’re up to it of course, either way I understand.”  
His eyes narrowed again as he eyed you curiously pondering your offer as his eyes adjusted to your glow, “I’ll think on it. I appreciate the offer.” Suddenly turning and leaving to return home closing your front door as he did leaving only the following closing of doors on his van before the engine fired up again and he took the circle in your drive to cross the street to his. Parking again and unloading his own groceries as his head swam at your offer while his eyes caught glimpses of your radiating house pulsing with sunlight even through the worsening storm. Shivering at the absence of your radiating warmth he moved up to his room to strip hearing the content purring of the Dragon rubbing its scaled body along the inside of his skin praising him for the progress he had made as his heart soared.  
…  
Sleeplessly he laid across his bed under the thick covers until a single command of the Dragon slammed his eyes shut and dragged him off to sleep to replenish his energy for his meeting with you tomorrow. With a single glance he spotted you through his front windows riding your bike to work, thankfully in the dry yet humid morning as he shifted his gaze back to the lone dusty recipe book in his kitchen skimming through and finding a simple enough meal he hoped would entice you.  
Strolling through in the same normal fashion, Francis claimed his seat once more as the familiar coiling of the Dragon grew closer against his skin as it eyed you hungrily through his sideways gaze at your motion to set the same juice on his table. As those same honey dipped question arrived his one burning request came as your only answer, “I got a recipe for jambalaya for tonight if you care to join me?”  
His eyes eased upwards to meet yours catching your beaming smile pouring golden rays from around you, “What time?”  
“Eight if it won’t be too late.”  
You nodded, “I’ll be there, I’ll bring some wine. And put in for your meatloaf.” Turning as another round of eager rumbling purring echoed through his chest through his large sip of the glowing apple juice.  
...  
Edging the fork farther on the napkin at your seat scales slid painfully against Francis’ skin making his head roll as he fought a violent shiver that died at the sounding of his doorbell drawing towards the sunlight pouring from the solid wood doors parting you. Swallowing dryly his hand found the door handle and opened it stepping back to allow you in eyeing your figure hugging black jeans with a floral coated silk top with sections of velvet flowers stretching across the freely hanging shirt secured tightly under your bust with a thin black velvet ribbon drawing Francis’ eyes to trail its gentle wave as you walked further inside. Lifting his eyes to your face again he locked his eyes there as you made a small circle saying, “Our houses really do look similar. I thought my memory must have been fuzzy. I was only here the once when I was younger.”  
He nodded forcing those unpleasant memories of his childhood back again, focusing on his task. Claiming your wine bottle making sure to slide his finger against yours drawing your smile to grow following him on his path to the immaculately set table that he waited at to help you into your seat across from his at the long table. Serving the pre-portioned bowls and claiming his own seat before the fireplace hoping the light behind him would keep his scarred appearance from blocking any deepening bond.   
Keeping his eyes on you testing your enjoyment through the quiet meal until he rose to serve you another helping after the lone request that brought him pleasantly at your side for a brief moment before you stole the chance to watch his tense rippling figure moving back to his seat again. Remaining there in his silent perch soaking in each moment in your peaceful company until walking you back to his door with an offer to repeat the meal again the night after next, of which was pleasantly accepted with a promise of bringing a dessert of his choosing if he wished.  
...  
Lunch after lunch his orders were now un-requested as frail conversations centered around his requests for your company while his eyes grew more bold hungrily lingering on yours as long as he could muster inquiring if you could stop by once again. A meal was almost always involved, either at your hand or his while his latest time with you brought a risky move. Suddenly his eyes landed on yours as you stood in the front hall as he said, “I’ll give you a tour.” Driving your smile to grow at his welcoming you farther into his life outside of the kitchen and dining room.  
Room by room he uttered single words for each he could manage but no more than three. Then halted in his unexpected end in the attic where all that left him was a growl through his turn to answer his phone leaving you to wander alone.  
The dim room unfolded around you as you walked across the dusty floorboards bringing you to the rings your fingers rose to brush before you stopped at the table with a large leather bound book in a deep black cover your fingers traced the stitching on the outer edges hearing Francis’ voice break off and his return back up the stairs only to freeze. Clenching his fist he edged closer fighting his tremble as his foot found a rare creaking board driving him to relax at your words, “My Grandmother used to have a saying about books like these.” Turning his eyes locked on yours as his head tilted in curiosity when you turned taking in the beam of sunlight shining on you forcing your glow to grow brighter, “To open their covers is akin to murder, you have to choose your victims wisely and ensure they’re worth the risk of devouring.” His lips parted feeling the ruffling scales from the equally as shocked Dragon while you turned with a soft giggle and your heels tapped on the wooden planks at your walk back to the rings where you stopped, “Not sure where she heard it but it really was a disturbing thing to tell a child. Informative but disturbing.” Your eyes met his as your fingers tapped one of them again, “Use these often?”  
He nodded, “I don’t like gyms.”  
Your smile grew eyeing him before you turned again pointing at his projector, “And this?”  
His head nodded and he approached slowly un-clenching his fist moving closer to you, “Yes. I make films.”  
Trailing your fingers his pulse spiked at their trail along the polished silver drawing a heated gaze from him, “I’ve always loved these. My Grandmother had one but one of the film rods snapped when she knocked it over, cracked the lens too.” Landing on your face a smile formed slowly as yours grew through a near enamored gaze slid across your eyes, “There’s this box of films of a trip from when I was little and this winter trip with these swans. It’s in black and white and the moonlight on their wings is just dazzling.” Giggling softly your fingers left his projector as you walked back towards the stairs getting the feeling he didn’t wish to stay up there after you glanced over the painting along the wall beside a shattered mirror.  
Following you back to the main hall he stopped near the sitting room watching your yawn dreading the distance you had to cross yet, turning realizing he’d stopped his voice plainly stated, “I could repair it if you like.” Your smile grew again and he could see your exhaustion showing through, “Your projector. You should sleep.” His eyes flashed back up to his stairs, “I, was going to watch one of my films, you can rest here if you wish.”  
“Thank you.” Your answer landed on his back as he turned showing you into the sitting room motioning to the couch watching as you walked over to sit on the couch as he went back to the stairs to fetch his projector. Sliding off your heels you thought to yourself at least the couch is soft enough, curling your legs up you leaned back against the arm of the couch as he returned and set up the projector and film, drawing down the screen then turned to claim the seat on the cushion near your feet holding a blanket on his right thigh glancing at you, “Did you prefer my feet down?”  
He swallowed and said, “No. You should lay down.” Scooting down you noticed his tensing so you turned and eased yourself back noticing his body shifting closer to you ensuring you had to rest at his side using his thigh as your pillow. Turning towards the screen you caught his tensing again and another swallow reluctantly freezing from his reach to flick on the projector making you shift and turn facing towards the back of the couch easing his tension as he covered you with the blanket and flicked on his film. Nuzzling your head against his thigh his pulse and steady clicking of the projector, you eased quickly into a deep sleep. One that unknowingly to you allowed your living pillow the chance to eye you more closely and easing his fingertips to shift your hair from your face and along your radiating cheek and elegantly arching neck fully accepting of his touch.  
Lovingly his eyes lingered on you as the long growing love pulsing from deep in his chest bloomed wider filling his ribs spurring on a lingering calmness through him that through the Dragon’s hunger his own would soon be sated, no longer a task to follow to the letter but a pulsing hope of his own to gain your heart fully.  
…  
Nearly daily, your stops would come sooner to your return home from work as your shift from the couch to a newly refurnished formerly empty guest room was granted for your naps while he prepared dinner and brief conversations sparked between you timidly forming common grounds. Lingering in the doorway brought no peace at all, waiting for your deeper breaths he moved closer to the bed removing his shoes at the door stalking closer. Folding back the thick comforter to ease inside and swallowing through his slide closer to you.  
Shifting suddenly his body froze as you curled around the thick pillow before settling again recognizing his cologne stretching out again mock sleeping to test what he had wished to do exactly. Remaining as still as you could and relaxing at his warmth molding around your back in a timid snuggle settling down stroking timidly along your left arm to ease his hand along the back of yours weaving his fingers between yours closing his eyes focusing on drawing in each moment while you drifted back to sleep. Through your dreams lingering with his wafting scent you found your way back to consciousness at the knock on the guest room door. Turning over his same stoic figure stood with another swallow, “Dinner is ready.”  
You nodded sitting up and sliding to the edge and standing then following him down to the immaculately set up dining room to be eased back into your same seat choosing to remain silent on his snuggling settling he was still building up to trusting you. Leaving you with a faint glimmer of hope that the incredibly breath taking man could possibly care for you past friendship.  
Walking you back to his door he held up your jacket helping you into it and watched as you turned to face him again admiring the moonlight reflecting in his eyes drawing you to say, “You really have gorgeous eyes you know.”  
His lips parted as you smiled larger and returned his same habit of turning and walking away, quietly taking the short walk across the street to your house smiling after you heard his door close again. With a beam of light shone on the driveway revealing he’d moved to his window to watch your walk home assuring you got there safely.  
…  
Silence left your time together mostly as those sinfully blue eyes that lingered on you through his timidly blooming personality. Kind yet sharp witted with a surprising amount of puns and knock knock jokes you were sure he must have memorized from the joke books coated in dust you’d noticed in your first trip up to his attic. Laugh by laugh smiles were bashfully released from the man spurring from your massive smiles and blinding light through the rough and dated humor he drew them with. Until his next stop in a book store in hopes of finding more current and harder to memorize jokes that agitated the stammer he so valiantly fought against. Little by little his actions grew bolder soon easing his fingers to brush against yours freely as you walked at his side through the back gardens of his house on a rare request from you at the randomly warm day in the first blast of autumn.  
Freely easing towards being yours, watching you relent any struggle no longer needing the silver tongued serpent for words to draw anything from you feeling it settle into a calm sleep as his own confidence grew in loving you, his glimmering Golden Angel. Fear however drew soft hisses from his beast in his lingering habit of slipping into your gifted bed as he let you sleep, melting against you feeling whole only with you in his arms for those few brief moments.  
...  
Entering again his body moved once again to the projector as he watched you move closer to the couch as he asked, “Would you like to lay down?” You smiled moving closer to the couch wondering why he’d want you to nap down here again, “On my side again?”  
He nodded flicking the projector on moving around the couch eyeing your position and straddling you making you glance up at him before he stretched out between you and the back of the couch. Drawing you closer to his chest resting his arms around you after covering you both with the blanket. Relaxing as you drew closer weaving your leg between his drifting off to sleep with a smile on your face as he kept his eyes on his film feeling soon the Dragon would soon send him on another hunt drawing him to clutch you tighter.  
Returning home his smile flashed and held longer this time before your turn and monitored walk back home. Leading to yet another day of the same schedule before you would be left wondering at how much closer he would draw to you. Seated in his bed he once again focused on the joke book before the pulsing ache to sleep over took him once again.  
..  
Easing down on the couch for a round of conversation and jokes with each other through the sharing of the fresh plums he had sliced for the pair of you as your eyes dropped to his tongue once again flicking the juices from his lip. Shifting closer to you his arm stretched out behind you. While his body tensed at your lips landing firmly on his drawing a loud roar from the now furiously flailing Dragon. Drawing back with a gasp readying to apologize, a single hushed word from Francis drove you to your feet, “Leave.”  
No longer smiling, his arm slid back towards his chest as his eyes remained fixed on the wall behind where you had been seated, avoiding direct contact with you hearing you softly speak in a wavering voice, “I am so sorry.” Quickly heading to the door, grabbing your jacket and passing through his door to cross back to your house jerking the protective layer on with a trembling breath feeling tears rolling down your cheeks whispering, “Why did I do that? How could I have done that..”   
Ignoring the urge to look back at the window the beam of light revealed Francis to be watching you for your safe return once again as your arms fold across your chest through another quiet sob. At the closing of your door you rushed up to your bedroom after locking the door behind you to land on your bed letting your pent of pain and frustrations pour free through the tracks across your skin.  
All while across the street Francis dropped to his knees rolling his head with pained groans at the waking infuriated beast whose hunger had been stirred once more, one he knew he had to send you away for. Images flooded his mind as his lust for you mingled with the Dragon’s blood lust. Images of very painfully slamming you back tearing you free from your protective layers taking every inch of you marking you with bruises, teeth marks and reddened skin from the binds he knew he would force you through.   
But no, not you, not his Golden Angel. Even the Dragon refused leaving one option, he had to find another to cease the tormenting hunger you had so innocently stirred. Rising with the darkened blood soaked wings fighting to break through his back a low growl came from Francis’ hunched form staggering to his feet to rush upstairs, back to his attic, back to his routine, back to deciding on his next kill.  
...  
Day by day with the unclaimed booth Francis had left bore a deep painful chasm in your chest at your ruined friendship soon distracted momentarily at the groups of officers flooding through the diner talking about the latest string of Tooth Fairy killings. Detail after detail you were sure shouldn’t be splayed out in public were soon muddled by the range of murmurs about the ripples Dr Lecter was causing through the media during his trial.  
Returning home there was no rush in your weekly restocking trip until an engine pulling up your drive brought you downstairs just as the doorbell rang. With a possibly over eager swing your door opened revealing Francis in another of his shifting stances swallowing as his rehearsed speech got whittled down to a simple, “It’s Thursday.”   
Before your hand slid from the door as he stepped forward cupping your cheek and landing his lips and yours. Adding his other hand to your bare cheek deepening the kiss darting his tongue to slide against yours holding back a moan he so longed to free. But refused at the fear it would also release the content purr from the Dragon easing it’s scales contently under his flesh once again rejoicing at your heavenly taste they both had so long yearned for. Melding his lips with yours feeling you drawing closer and only making him tense and cease his passionate kiss at your fingertips landing on his neck where he knew you’d expose the cut he’d received on his latest excursion.  
Pulling back his eyes parted in a small slit granting him a glance at your reddened pouting lips urging him forward again for another brief hungry kiss then stepping back again swallowing dryly saying after another scanning glance at you, “I’ll be in the van. You have no shoes.”  
You watched him blankly turning to fetch your shoes. Hearing him climbing inside stealing a glance at you before he checked that his cut was still covered by his collar in his mirror. Relaxing once again at being with you. Blood soaked and purring as it coiled, the content Dragon eased back to peaceful sleep watching as their love came towards the van. Locking the door behind you for the quiet trip there and ten back again to unloading it all before he stepped closer to you pressing his forehead against yours through a tilt of his head before his lips met yours once again.   
This time releasing a near growl claiming your hand he noticed you’d clutched the counter with to stroke along his cheek then claimed it again as your path venturing into his hair urged him to a lustful point he’d yet to find comfort with concerning you. Another hungry peck later you numbly nodded again with a ghost of a smile at his parting statement, “I’ll see you at lunch.” Staring as the tall figure left your sight, while your fingers met your numb lips, and he securely shut the door behind him and returned to his van for the ride back to put away his groceries as well.  
…  
With the healing of his cut your partings grew more fevered as your found yourself commonly pinned against his door or a wall as his eyes darkened for another hungered claiming of your mouth with his roaming tongue and growling moans that drew whimpers from you hoping he would be ready to move farther soon before being released again as you managed the distance back yet again under his still heated gaze.  
Dropping heavily on his bed exhaling Francis closed his eyes mentally working through his gradual build to release with you finalizing his list of everything he’d wished to guide you through and all the inches of you he’d still yet to taste and touch. A steady rumble of an engine neared slowly, drawing Francis to sit up and move to his window in the darkened room watched as a van slowly pulled into your drive sending him rushing through his house collecting a bat along the way feeling his scarred lip curl through his low growl.  
Cold air coated him through his walk following the driveway and street before crossing yours silently moving through a crouch up to the man waiting in the van. Climbing in the open door gripping the driver’s mouth from behind giving his head a sharp twist breaking his neck and moving inside.   
Assessing each room pausing in the doorway to your living room as the pair chatted over the china hutch chuckling over the Faberge egg among other hidden treasures behind the grouping of porcelain figures. Waiting until one had their head turned quickly his hand curled to muffle the mouth and break the neck of one of them. With a swing of his bat the second fell back into Francis’ reach allowing him to muffle and end him as well before lowering him quietly.   
Silently moving through the rooms the final man strolling so casually towards the back stairs turned at the sound of a drawer being opened only to feel a bag being slid over his face and a firm set of arms restraining him as the world darkened around him.  
Panting Francis lowered the man after binding him with your duct tape to scour the house leaving your room for last moving to your side quietly moving to your side brushing your curls from your face to gently kiss your forehead hold another lingering glance before turning to carry the men back to the van. Making sure to stop at his house to grab a loosely knit beanie from his attic along with a can of gasoline and matches, returning to the van for the drive to an abandoned lot behind an old shoe factory.  
Parked and in the dark the only living member of the crew woke to a sharp slap across his face drawing a pained gasp from him as his eyes shot open only to receive a firm hand around his throat and a growling figure with a knitted mask asking, “Why that house?!”  
Through the clutches the thief forced out, “Heard the old broad died. House like that, had to be loaded.”  
The hand clenched tighter, “Who sent you?”  
Squeaking through the tightening grip he gasped and replied, “N-no o-one. P-ap-er-s.”  
Another growl came from Francis as he clenched tighter slamming his body against the wall of the van growling out, “No one touches her.” Gripping even tighter hearing the man taking his last gasping attempts at breath through his final struggling breaths, “She belongs to the Red Dragon and he to her in return.” Squeezing again drawing a snap from the man’s neck ceasing his life before coating the man in gasoline and burning the van to the ground taking the subway nearby keeping his head down out of sight from the cameras before stopping at the end of the line near your house finishing the rest of the trip on foot.  
Returning straight to your house inspecting the house fully. Repairing whatever items that were shifted or placed in the men’s sacks before claiming a seat resting his bat across his lap seated in the dark as the irritated Dragon paced through the house daring anyone else to enter and try for what was theirs. Waiting through the night patrolling. Then to move to your table in your study flicking through your phone book finding the number for the locksmith in town to come out first thing to replace your locks before the window shop to replace the broken stained glass mural they broken to get in through the front door.  
.  
Rubbing your face the frigid air around you brought you to draw the blankets closer around you before you sat up in a panic at the sound of voices downstairs. Moving to your staircase clutching a knife you drew from your nightstand before you froze saying “Francis?”  
The eyes of the tall man raised to meet yours from his unwavering stance, watching the men inspecting the locks and broken window in the door, as he moved to climb the stairs dropping his arms. Meeting your side his hand rested on your back leading you back into your room eyeing the knife in her hand nearly bringing an impressed smirk to his lips. Stopping inside your room he shut the door turning to face you with a hushed tone, “I need to tell you something that you cannot repeat.” You nodded and his eyes locked on yours intently, “I need to hear you swear it.”  
Softly you replied, “I swear I won’t repeat what you say.”  
His eyes eased as he said, “A group of men broke in here last night.” His body tensed watching your hands cross over your chest through a trembling breath while tears clouded the golden beams from your eyes, “I handled it, and they will never come back here again.” His hand rose to cup your cheek sending a pained golden pulse over his hand, “No one, will ever harm you as long as I’m breathing.”  
You nodded feeling tears sliding down your cheek releasing your hands taking a flinching half step then back again as you softly mumbled, “Right, no touching.”  
Grabbing your hands, after setting your knife on your nightstand, he pulled them around his back, drawing you into a firm hug resting his cheek against your head, “Touch me. Whenever you like.”  
Clutching tightly around him his grip tightened in return as your fear eased at his steady heart beat while he repeated again, “No one will ever harm you.” Relaxed finally as one of the men downstairs called his name you drew back and he sat you on your bed that he eased you back into, “Stay here. Stay warm, when they’re done you can stay with me if you wish.”  
You nodded settling back accepting his adding of your extra blankets at the foot of the bed over you before pausing at your arms drawing him down for another timid hug around his neck as you softly whispered, “Thank you Francis.” Ignoring the fear and uncertainty the break in had caused along with whatever meaning his utterance of handling it had meant, focusing on him, his firm hug in return and soft whisper, “Get some rest, my Golden Angel.”   
Gently kissing your cheek and covering you again before going back down again to handle the repairs before his aiding you pack and short trip across the street to be tucked into his bed after the meal he had fixed you. For a long day of snuggling between his playing of an old case of black and white films he’d not played in years that calmed you back to sleep curling safely in his arms and the ever protecting wings of the Dragon.


	4. Prodding the Dragon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kinda sorta a loose sequel to Trusting the Dragon. Smut in it with a twist at the end. Hope you like it!

Moonlight shone over head through the winding trees. In the darkness freshly scrubbed and redressed Francis stalked his way back again through his same path he’d formed to claim his latest prey. Step by step the blood soaked scales of the settling dragon within eased and coiled into a deep rest counting down the minutes until they could return once again to their Golden Angel. The killing of the five men breaking into her home had sated his urges for quite some time, but after nearly a year of not so much as a fingertip brushing under her layers the internal burning ache from the long awaited release he had so long dreamed of had snapped the dragon’s resolve urging him to hunt once more.  
________________________________________  
Miles had passed and his seat in his waiting van had been claimed once again stirring a hint of a smile on his face knowing this could be one of his last as his nearing you lulled the winged beast within to sleep deeply for possibly centuries to come. Each turn brought out an out of place golden beam of light. Curiously he parked in the darkened shoulder parking on the edge of the woods just outside of town miles opposite your homes, making the sight of a familiar pale green floor length gown coating the trapped figure of his Golden Angel all the more out of place. In an eager race he abandoned his van and made his way right over to you.  
Sure you’d stated of a few bad dreams leaving you sleepless after the frightening encounter after your latest trip to film a mountain top city that nearly left you stranded in a fierce blizzard leaving you trapped with a slightly off put snow leopard and her cubs until it passed. Those two nights with them were the highlight of your absence from your lovingly protective boyfriend you were sure would be sizing up the fur coated creature. By the passing of the first hour she had calmed that you were trapped as well and shared what prepared meat and food you had stashed in your bag, and your second morning found her curled around you in an attempt to share her warmth in the freezing cave with you and her cubs. The nightmare only beginning after it had passed and you parted ways with your new spotted friends to reach the nearest town, for four days after your boat ride to the nearest island with airports available leaving you tossed about and heavily bruised when you finally returned home, safely curled up in Francis’ arms.  
Sleepless and slightly delirious in his absence you found an old habit recurring once more leaving you wandering through the night without a clue as to how you found yourself in these situations. You had calmed and slept soundly with your protector either curled around you or safely across the street, but once again you had felt yourself being slammed around in your sleep and waking to find yourself fleeing in search of those absent safe arms. With a pained glance Francis paused at your side eyeing your awkward position, halfway hunched over a fallen log with your leg trapped beside it in a hole, cautiously he brushed back your hair from your scraped forehead from the fall. In an exhausted blink he felt himself smile softly at the slit of amber exposed when your eyes opened at his touch. Your weak smile growing as you softly stated, “Found you.”  
Exhaling sharply he pressed his forehead to yours cupping your cheek lovingly as he rumbled back, “I’m here now Angel.” Scanning his eyes over you he asked, “Why did you run through the woods?”  
“The moon told me you’d be here.” His brow rose as he shifted and eyed the spot your leg was stuck in, then reached in to ease it out. With parted lips he withheld his gasp at the golden shimmering trail of blood coming from the cuts and scrapes coating you, in the moonlight he eyed your obviously swollen ankle saying, “We need to get you to a doctor.” Cradling you in his arms he carried you back to his van feeling your loose curls pool over his shoulder and arm shifting and swaying with his every step. Carefully you were set on the passenger seat and strapped in before his lips pressed to your forehead.  
.  
White light grew before Francis on his path towards the near abandoned hospital emergency room doors. They opened for him drawing the eyes of the waiting nurse behind the desk to rise at the bloody curiously dressed woman in the tall man’s arms. Easily you were led back to a waiting room where the circles under your eyes and the curiousness of your dress compared to your sneaker encased feet eased their worries of the silent man at your side. With searching eyes the doctor repeated the same question the first nurse did to hear Francis’ reply, “She’s been having trouble sleeping, wanders about. I found her in the woods near home, got stuck.”   
Their suspicions of your relationship silenced at his drawing out his phone showing the next nurse coming in to patch up your scrapes the pictures of the wedding your friend had forced you into owning such an out of place gown with Francis pictured as your date in a suit beside you. His stammer and verbal pauses cluing them into his more tentative mannerisms around strangers compared to his treatment of you between your random bursts of consciousness.  
Returning from your x ray the doctor returned stating to you and him once you’d woken once again to lean against his side as he sat beside you, “Miss Pear, thankfully it’s just a bad sprain. All you really need is some rest and to stay off your feet for a couple days at least. We’re giving you a boot to wear for two weeks just to make sure it doesn’t get worse.” He met Francis’ eyes at your response to his question, “Would you be able to tell us why you raced out into the woods?”  
Through a relaxed sigh you replied, “Because, Science.” A smirk twitched onto his lips at your snuggling against Francis’ chest stirring a soft smile on the quiet man’s face as you drifted off again.  
Francis met his gaze saying, “I’ll keep an eye on her. Her last work trip was rough on her, couldn’t rest. It’ll settle.”  
The doctor nodded and made sure to pass him a group of pamphlets on sleep studies and techniques to help aid you with your problems. Gently you were bandaged and sent home with a prescription for sleeping pills and pain pills Francis would fill for you when the pharmacy had opened.  
..  
Back in his driveway your eyes opened drawing his gaze back to you. In an abrupt shift you met his gaze as he leaned across you to unbuckle your seatbelt from is place in the doorway. Your legs shifted aside while your hands smoothed over his shirt under his leather jacket parting his lips at the comforting touch he’d missed so deeply. Halfway drooped your eyes scanned over his steadily rising chest as your hands rose to glide around his neck and into his hair gaining a relieved exhale from him at the calming strokes. His tongue darted out to wet his lips at your heated golden gaze meeting his to say, “I’ve missed you, and those gorgeous eyes of yours.”  
At your lean in his body did the same closing the distance for a quickly melting passionate embrace. Each moment growing more heated as his recent habit of drawing you closer to press his hips to yours stirred your hands to drop, flicking the long layered skirt aside at the high slit freeing your legs to curl around him. Deeply against your lips he moaned at your hand dipping to cup him firmly as the other moved to undo his belt through your tongue darting against his once again. A curt grumble left him at his step back fighting against every inch of him urging him to continue as he stated through a hungry gaze over you and your long exposed legs still parted for him, “You need to rest.”  
Rolling your eyes through a defeated sigh he covered your legs and cradled you once again taking you into his home straight to your normal place in his bed. Heavily his boots met the ground while he removed your partially tied sneakers and set them beside the foot of the bed. A hushed moan came from you drawing his same hungry gaze back to you as your legs shifted to the right allowing the layers to slip free from your legs. Your lower lip tucked in your teeth drew his gaze as your legs shifted slowly from side to side through your heated gaze slid over his every muscle you imagined under his layers. Lowly he stated with a near cracking tone, “You need to sleep.” Averting his gaze he said, “I’ll sleep downstairs.”  
Behind his back on his path to the door he paused at your breathy, “Ok.” Every inch of his skin prickled through the scales smoothing under his skin at the dragon’s order for him to stop. Slowly he turned and watched your fingers slowly trailing from your knee to your hip in a teasing trail while your other hand smoothed your fingers smoothed over your cheek and down the side of your neck through a soft sigh. His brow twitched at his struggle against rushing over to you.  
Unable to move he asked, “Why aren’t you sleeping?”  
A smirk eased onto your lips through your hand shifting back towards your knee while a finger from your other hand pressed lightly to your lower lip, “Can’t sleep. Just going to, daydream a bit.”  
In a broken whisper he repeated, “Daydream..” Watching your hand dip lower again after feeling the tightening of his jeans at your nip at your finger now trailing along your jaw again.  
“I could tell you what I’ve imagined, if you like.” Without his moving an inch you smirked through a teasing giggle and your eyes left him to land on the wall across from you while your fingers smoothed across your cheek while the other circled over your mid thigh. “It always starts with you in the doorway.” In the corner of your vision you spotted his body tensing through a shaky exhale, “Removing you boots, slowly crossing to me, losing your socks along the way.”  
His eyes trailed the fingers now dipping to brush along your lips again, “And those eyes of yours, just watching over me, longingly.” He dryly swallowed at your softening tone and steadily growing inhales through your legs shifting against one another slowly, “And you climb onto the bed, kneeling at my feet.” Your right hand dipped to firmly slide along your thigh as it rose again, “Slowly crawling to a stop over me.” Your fingers circled alongside your neck as it arched through your soft sigh sending a pulse through him just below his waist once again. “And your lips ghost just over my neck, planting firmly after just barely missing my cheek, and your hands.” His brow twitched again at your body arching and shifting while your legs did the same through a glance at him pinning your finger between your teeth as you eyed his obvious struggle to remain still breaking in his lean down to drop his boots by the door and start the short walk to his bed.  
Your every breath drawing him closer to the foot of his bed, following your instructions that far, but remaining still between your legs watching your smirk return as your hands dipped lower across your thighs and chest teasing along the edges of your gown spiking his breathing again. Slowly your legs parted to rest on either side of his lap stroking against his tightening thighs while he tightened his kneeling position. His eyes met yours while your hand eased the zipper along your side down freeing your hand to rest flatly on your chest and reveal flashes of your bare breasts and panties under the gown shifting looser around your hips at its unzipping. Panting lowly he hungrily watched your each and every movement etching it all into his mind from your deepening breathing and smirks before your eventual dip of your fingers between your wet folds stirring another twinge at his waist then another when it sank inside you. As badly as he wished to claim you just then he sat still soaking up the sight of you drawing such pleasure just from your mental image of him.  
His breaking came when you did, rising up to get a better view of your bitten lip and whimpered moan, shifting under him you met his gaze revealing the heat lingering and growing there at his leaning over you inhaling the mixture of your obvious change to your body scent. Slowly he lowered curling his hand around your wrist raising your juice covered fingers towards his mouth at his asking, “May I taste you?”  
Biting your lip you nodded and watched as he claimed your fingers to lap up every drop of the warming mixture. When clean he lowered your hand to your side as he shifted above you, resting his fingers around your knee trailing his hand lower while his lips ghosted across your cheek sinking to your neck through your sinking shoulder allowing him access to plant his lips there gaining a weak chuckle from you. Slowly your hands rose easing his jacket off he promptly shrugged out of and tossed away while you nipped at your lip again while your fingers unhooked his belt as he reached back pulling off his shirt and tossed it away as well. Looking up at him your eyes met when your hips rose allowing him to grip your gown, remove it and toss it carelessly away while one of his hands gently guided your injured foot back down again at his side.  
Above you again at your finger curling his smirk died against your lips, in a near instant his tongue darted to meet yours again as his body flexed and arched through his easing out of his pants through your kiss at your unhooking and forcing them down. Against your lips a near growling moan came from his brushing his erection against your heated folds. Easing up again he eyed your hands brushing down your panties from their former place gliding across his skin coating it with a glorious burning warmth. In a pant he grabbed the lace layer, easing it off gently and tossing it away and lowered again wetting his lips in is reach to draw a box he’d bought weeks prior prepping for this moment. With a condom in hand he claimed a loving kiss and purred against them, “You consent?” Nipping at your lip through your nod he caught your gaze smirking and saying, “I need to hear you say it.”  
Releasing your lip you ghosted yours against his replying, “I consent.”  
With a small tear he added it and tossed the wrapper away while his lips eased along your neck drawing soft moans from you both at his sliding against your core once again while his hand dipped from your neck to between your thighs earning even more moans from you soon dying against his lips through his next amorous kiss. Below your waist his finger worked small circles gliding easily through your slickness between easy thrusts gliding his shaft against it. In a shift lower his head dipped to your neck planting a kiss there and closing his eyes with a low moan of his own at his gliding inside you as you gasped softly.  
Fully inside you he paused continuing his fingered circles before slowly easing almost completely out again only to glide back in again slowly through his fingers speeding up. In a reach up your hands eased from his chest to slide around his head to grip in his hair through deepening the lip lock as he sank into you once again. Each time feeling his heart soar and waves of heat crashing through him at your moans mingling with his between your heated skin brushing against his through his steady thrusts driving you teasingly to your next climax. Under him your hands shifted to curl around his back as your other hand gripped his ass cheek above the inked in tail you were still oblivious about to draw him in deeper while your hips tilted allowing him to press harder against you. Loudly he groaned in your dying kiss as you clenched and flexed around him, slow pants left him while his hips held their place firmly against yours until your breathing settled again.  
Through a heated silent moment his eyes scanned adoringly over your golden glow glistening across your skin as his beginning layer of sweat reflected in a weak golden hue on him. Lowering again he stole another brush of his lips against yours and chuckled against your lips at your hand gripping him to urge another thrust from him. Slowly he shifted again testing your reaction before quickening his pace and growing even faster at your hips shifting higher allowing him to sink deeper. Gripping the blankets tighter he held his pace until your body curled tighter around his until his hips bucked harder into you while his moans sounded against your neck, his hands gripping your thighs tightly through your climax that had pulled him over the edge after you.  
...  
Warm breaths across your neck drifted slowly as the body draped partially across your chest between firm pressing of lips across your chest slowly sinking lower across your navel and sinking lower. His hands gripping your thighs to shift them over his shoulders your eyes scanned over trying to discern what was inked into it. With a giggle your head fell back at his fevered tasting of you after once again gaining your consent. Each time asking and insisting on an answer until he was stretched out once again on your chest. But your snuggling ended causing his body to shift following your path curiously as your rise to sit next to him. Swallowing dryly he met your gaze feeling a hint of fear at your reaction while the dragon inside him struggled to stir after your lengthy night of impassioned love making. Gently your fingers shifted across his shoulders with a near enamored expression admiring each intricate detail relaxing him to lay flat again.  
“Impressive.” Your comment stirred his smile wider and your next a laugh after you said, “I especially love the tail.” Peering under the blanket. Smiling up at you his body shifted to turn and draw you back down to lay under him as he snuggled around you. A kiss landed on your lips before his asking, “Are you in pain?”  
You shook your head, “Ankle’s a bit sore but I think the boot’s reason enough for that.” Your finger trailed along his shoulder, “I think I got a bit too rough, scratched you.”  
He peered over his shoulder spotting the scratch marks there earning another chuckle and kiss from him. “Don’t worry about it. I will happily bear your scars, My Angel.”  
Rolling your eyes you smoothed your fingers through his hair causing his head to tilt against your palm with a loving smile, “So docile.” His brow rose with a teasing challenging expression stirring a giggle from you breaking him into another chuckling smile, “For such an imposing figure.”  
Even his smile grew knowing full well, even before your times last night where he followed your orders to a T, even holding his positions against your pinning him down through what he could easily turn the tables. But even with his imposing self he did have to admit he was entirely yours and would do anything you wished as well as anything to protect you, trusting himself entirely to you and your whims and desires. “For you My Angel, anything.”  
With a giggle you replied, “Anything, hmm.” You giggled again at his nuzzling closer to you and kissing your cheek through your stomach growling.   
“I will make you some breakfast.” As you sat up he gently pushed you back down, “Two days off your feet, doctor’s orders.”  
“What, exactly…”  
With a slightly concerned expression and a wave of fear at his actions he asked, “You don’t remember last night?”  
Rising up you stroked his cheek calming his expression, claiming a kiss, “I remember us, not much of the hospital.”  
He nodded sharing the full story, “Because, Science, then you passed out again.”  
With another giggle you rubbed your face, “Priceless. And in my gown too. I am sorry if they gave you a hard time.”  
He shook his head, “I wasn’t concerned. You calmed them down between your naps. Was it the boat dream again?”  
You nodded, and he rose up to kiss you and climb out of bed fetching his briefs to go downstairs to cook for you, “I will make you breakfast and we can talk all about it. I’ve called out so we can spend all day in bed.” With a pause he stopped at his dresser passing you a fresh pair of your panties you’d left here before at his request in case of showering along with one of his sweaters and your favorite shorts he helped you into and chuckled through grabbing you and cradling you to sit on the counter while he cooked for you both. Lovingly his eyes scanned over you as you noted his fully relaxed state with you between timid brushing of his fingers across your bare skin testing your comfort at the gestures outside of bed. Not long after you were moved to the dining room table for the meal then into the living room where he set up one of the black and white films you loved to curl up through, with him at your side once the pile of pillows was secured under your injured leg properly.  
...  
Over a year had passed and the dragon had silenced completely, at least until a certain cannibal started poking around in what didn’t concern him. In a race back to a secret hideout Francis mentally checked through his list as the dragon roared fiercely at the pair possibly aiming to bring damage to the woman he loved the pair had foolishly threatened to bring harm to any aiding him in his peaceful life.  
Silently under the starlight and bright full moon Francis eyed the silvery blood pooling around him with a slow gasping choking breath when his mind raced back to you.  
.  
Tangled up safely in his arms after a bout of painting you had unleashed on the grand master bedroom you shared he chuckled lowly at your curling at his side on the bed now resting in the center of the chilly room from all the windows open to air out the fumes. Biting your lip you giggled when his smile grew through his glance down at you asking, “What are you planning?”  
His eyes lit up at the elated sparkle in yours calming him even in his worst anxious or angered moments, “We’re going to have to go mattress shopping.”  
Under curiously furrowed brows he replied, “We just bought this one.”  
You nodded resting your chin on your engagement ring bearing hand in the center of his chest, “We’ll need a smaller one.” His brow rose again only to have his eyes dart from your eyes over you, an understanding gasp sounded from him as the dragon in him gave a pleased rumble in its sleep while he rolled you over carefully with a beaming smile becoming more and more common with you in the past few months.  
“A baby?” You nodded and he chuckled sliding lower to nuzzle and kiss your unchanged stomach. Then he slid up again for a loving kiss, and curled you back against him again purring against your ear, “I never imagined this moment possible for me.” As he leaned back your hand shifted to wipe away his tears between your melting kisses sending deep waves of your warmth coursing through him at this impossible gift.  
“I love you. We aren’t our grandmothers you know. There is no one else I would take this step with.”  
Bringing back his beaming smile through his happy tears hiding between his lips landing on yours again. “I love you, my Golden Angel.”  
.  
Muddling through his memories of you in his silvery pool of blood marking a massive pair of wings around his back at the pain coursing through his mind of all the years he had promised now taken from you and your baby. Deep in his soul he felt it splitting as his dragon gave one last pained flail at the incoming wave of tears they could sense from their Golden Angel, the wedding you’d never have and the cries of a child they would never know, lost and alone in the world without their protection. Into the darkness he sank feeling more and more the painful regret of his failure.  
.  
A state away you were called and nearly collapsed to the ground, never had you dreamed your Husband’s name would be tangled in a sentence containing Hannibal the Cannibal. But here you sat alone and freezing in the cramped hospital room, the soft beeping of the monitors around you the only signal of life for your beloved. Clutching his painfully cold hand your tears poured out freely in your spot in the chair at his side. All day you sat there feeling the painful cramping in your back at the awkward positions your growing bump reduced you to. A sniffle came from you as you brushed back the covers and settled at his side careful not to disturb any chords or cables, gently nuzzling closer and taking small comfort at his body’s natural reaction of curling his arm tighter around your back in his deep sleep.  
..  
Deep down in the dark and deep chasm an irritated growl came from his poor mangled and wounded dragon at the nudge in its side. Again and again the invisible creature prodded at him until his retaliatory roar sounded and promptly died at his eyes opening and falling to the bright golden glow filling each nook and cranny of this painfully small room. The nudge came again bringing a smile from his weak and throbbing body at your child shifting while you slept. A soft grumble came from you drawing his hand to lower and stroke your back in his normal fashion calming the growing ache between bouts of his lips meeting your forehead for each tear escaping your clamped and slightly puffy eyelids in your slumber.  
A low growl sounded within him signaling his eyes to open and turn towards the door. Slowly the deadly pair responsible for placing him here cautiously peered into the room flooding the hall with a golden glow none of the other average creatures on the floor could see. Widened gazes came from both Hannibal and Will forcing them to sheath their hidden blades at the sight of the golden woman in the flickering silver arms of the wounded man they had missed his formerly hidden hue in their haste. Through parted lips Hannibal uttered, “I owe you an apology.”  
His eyes scanning over your sleeping form causing Francis’ arm to tighten around you while he lowly growled, “Get out, Now!”  
Will peered at you in utter confusion asking, “How is she…”  
Hannibal nudged his arm before meeting Francis’ gaze again, “I was unaware of whom we had threatened. Neither of us will interfere in her life again.”  
Francis’ lip curled watching the pair retreat and leave the hospital to vanish from the country, along the way Hannibal sharing how their shadow casting forms forbade them from interfering with those bearing golden souls. Living treasure never to be harmed, same as their silver wreathed protectors. With their word Francis and his winged beast calmed, curling around you tightly in your sleep as he drifted off again, mentally counting down the hours until he would be allowed to go back home. Hs smile returning at the familiar surroundings along with your turn to once again hold him in bed, though for once finally being able to do so without a chance of him being able to fight back.   
But slowly he healed and wove back together with you, calming your fears no harm would come to any of you again. A fact only settling in when he was able to regain his former prowess and cater to your every need and return to his doting cradling of you even when unnecessary. At least until the fateful pained gasp signaling the arrival of the shimmering golden bundle soon swaddled in your exhausted arms as he gently stroked the pinkened and plump curiously staring infant you soon shifted to his trembling arms releasing a set of elated tears at your precious treasure. A treasure added below your name on an impossibly short list of names the two darkened creatures had vowed to aid in protecting all their lives.


	5. Chapter 5

_What are you thinking…He could be a serial killer for all you know…But those eyes of his, and those muscles, and damnit those painted on clothes._

For days now you had been sensing someone following you and in the reflection on the window of a passing truck it was the same chiseled man you’d been stealing the etched in scowl on his chiseled face to fuel the rebirth of your novel you’d been trying to give birth to out of your painful block moving to this town had left you in. Just one stop in at a small diner early morning and your notebook was opened and the face of the silent man across the room had broken through your brick wall parting you from your creative flow, and each doodle and sketch brought out a long paragraph soon flowing into a full page. Your real dilemma being you had no way to pay him back for all he’d done for you.

 _Dear sweet charming, adorably, hopefully just shy Francis_. 

A single glance at his name tag had granted you knowledge of the secret title you had tried to figure out on looks alone until he had removed his jacket. Oh even his name seemed to stir a deeply needed swooning from you and your painfully solitary lifestyle your work only seemed to compound.

… A week prior …

For nearly a week the man seemingly oblivious to you glanced up. Finally you got a clear glimpse of those painfully blue eyes just screaming with a loneliness matching yours. Since the moment you sat down you were locked in some fantasy about you surprising him with nothing but an apron on and a large birthday breakfast. 

 _I wonder when his birthday is. He’s probably a Capricorn, seems likely, certainly not a Leo, far to withdrawn. Yes, it would be some time in the winter, with warm blankets and cocoa, damnit what I wouldn’t give to be snuggled up with him and some cocoa._   _Oh he looks like he would love some cocoa, and cake, I could make that mousse Gran wouldn’t mind my sharing the recipe with a non-Doctor._

Three seconds your eyes lingered on his before it rang in your mind.  _Oh shit._ You were staring and he caught you, mid tap of your pen on the page your eyes dropped to your nearly empty glass of tea as your hand propping up your chin lowered to the table making you wonder at what impression you had given him in your dazed out staring. Downing your drink you pulled out the bills to pay your tab and left them on the table, stupidly along with one of your notebooks then you darted out of the diner and went back home, where you discovered your blunder. 

 _Damnit, damnit, damnit._  You threw your notebook onto the bed thankful that the one with your imagined shirtless doodles hadn’t been in the one he could have grabbed. Heavily you sighed and dropped onto your bed groaning up at your faded pastel green ceiling you’d been meaning to paint for weeks now.

… His POV …

Again he could feel it. All his life he knew the feeling well, being watched, judged, but this time was different. Stolen through a shift in the booth to avoid the woman passing her the culprit had turned her head allowing him to look her over. Long curls and a porcelain face he had found so revolting on women before, due to his Grandmother’s doll collection, but not hers. All his childhood he had forced himself to imagine this persona as some dashing Prince off in a foreign land where none could hurt him, where Dragons lived and claimed what they deemed theirs from anyone, even, no especially Princesses.

As he aged he yearned more to be the mighty Dragon, no longer forced into the role of being dashing or, dare he say it, handsome. Neither charming or skilled in small talk he was fit for brooding silently, a well deserved trait for a Dragon, now all he needed was a Princess to steal. One conveniently enough with the same face as the woman he’d been watched by.

_What could she possibly want? I do work at the main counter from time to time. She could have recognized me. But why keep looking?_

Behind those freely shifting curls a striking green dress. Strapless, sweetheart top. His eyes sank lower to those seemingly silky legs ending in tall heels. Sending out clicks echoing in his mind for the day following at work after he lowered his eyes watching her in return from the corner of his eye until she left the diner clutching the notebook she had been writing something in since he had sat down for lunch.

.

_Just a phase, just like all the others she will see. Another will draw her eye. Another will win her heart. Damn she looks perfect coated in snow._

Through the front window he watched her enter again, shaking the fresh flakes from her hair in the first snow of the year coming remarkably late this year. Nine days to Christmas and all he could think of was that same woman wrapped in a velvet bow with a name tag attached bearing his name. Never again would he doubt Saint Nick if you were left for him under his tree, but never had he gotten what he’d wished for, but honestly in his Grandmother’s house there was never a tree, no tinsel, nothing festive. Painfully he would watch other Children flashing their festive clothes and listen to their tales of how their Parents had decorated, the most painfully tedious or forced behavior they dreaded he ached for. 

_Please Santa, just her, all I want, is her._

Days had passed and she didn’t stop staring. Day after day growing bolder and it was becoming even more excruciating to remain calm and not barge over there to force an encounter, just anything to end his suffering, even if it was just for some entranced day dreaming she just happened to look his direction through. Again with another round of snow adding to the inches from the night before his eyes rose to her on her entrance into the diner, this time with two notebooks in hand. At the table her eyes rose to him just an instant after his lowered to his meal.

 _Again. Damnit._  His eyes clenched shut for a moment through a deep breath before opening them again. Every inch of his skin was crawling as he felt her eyes on him yet again. One last deep breath and his eyes rose to her. Each perfectly placed curl cascaded around the hand and arm propping up her chin while she blatantly stared at him. If he didn’t know better, he’d say she loved him. He knew that look, through the years that one look had haunted and tortured him at being what he imagined to never earn himself. But here it was aimed directly at him and in the open from a stranger no less.

Cradling her chin a deep sigh left her deepening her gaze as his heart skipped at the dilating of her pupils only strengthening his assumption. Inside his mind he counted the seconds, for three heavenly seconds what had eluded him was his, even if it was from a stranger that had gotten swept away in their daydreaming. Up she stood and raced away but again his eyes sank to the table where he spotted it, her notebook. On his feet with the bill paid he moved to the door and used a large entering party as an excuse to alter his path to claim the book subtly then leave to return to work.

Behind his counter he sat on the stool in the empty camera and home video shop on one of his slow days he set the notebook that had burning a hole in his jacket pocket on the glass surface and stared at it debating whether or not he should invade her privacy. But he had to know. A single flick of the front cover and he was staring at a familiar scowl he’d seen trapped in his mirror for years now. Page after page intricate doodles of him in varying phases of thought as he pretended to read the papers in front of him. But halfway through a simple doodle of him at the table staring at a cup labeled cocoa on the side stirred a small heart above his head being offered to him from a woman beside him with a stunning figure all to similar to yours. That simple image stirred a hint of a smile on his face that only grew at the next one with him bundled up in the snow holding up a small Child who set a top hat on top of a snowman’s head.

Each image after with the same woman’s silhouette appearing from the side barely interacting with him but still the fact remained. No matter what you had imagined him, his life, happy. Even without you and him together in the images you had at least in some distant way wished him happiness, something entirely baffling to him. Especially he had always only wished for yours, in the back of his mind he’d settled you felt just as undeserving of his affections in return. Silently distantly pining for him as he hid his desire for you in return as your resolve crumbled in what he could only imagine as a possible sign for him to make a move. The back cover haunted him, he loved each page along with the small poems you had added between sketches of him echoing in his mind only drawing a hunger in him to know just what was hidden in those other notebooks he had seen you carrying.

.

Biting his lip he slid it back in his pocket letting his mind wander as to what you had hidden in your mind and your books. For once a smile ghosted across his scarred lips publicly and remained in place the longer he thought of you and began hoping for something, anything with you. Sleep evaded him in trying to figure out just what he was meant to do with your book. But when he entered the diner he stole his chance to take the long path to his usual seat past yours to subtly leave it there wordlessly then take his place, like nothing had ever happened, like he didn’t know, but he knew. Oh did he know, and wish to live out each and every innocent festive image with you, for you, there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t give to know just how to draw what he imagined to be the most breathtaking smile he had ever seen from you.

Your book was in place and a relieved sigh left you as you sat down imagining the waitress had left it there after setting it aside for you and once again gave your order and flipped open the notebook you had brought with you. But today your eyes stayed down as you struggled to keep from looking at him. 

 _Damnit, just look up. Just once. Don’t walk out without a glance at me._  

Hungrily his eyes remained fixed on you until you left drawing him to his feet and after you.

No matter what he did the snow would always betray him. To stalk anyone in these conditions was impossible with the crunching snow sounding under his weight as he followed after you quite foolishly back to the corner brick coated apartment he stopped across the street from under the cover of the bus stop awning. In the distance he watched your lights turn on, for a few moments he stood watching then used the bus passing to cover his sneaking away. Again and again he continued this pattern the longer your eyes had been off of him, the more he needed something from you, anything. Always trying to pluck up the nerve to do something to make you turn and face him.

… your POV …

Slowly through the snow you walked biting your lip as your hand folded around your notebook in your pocket through the heavy crunch of snow behind you. For all his traits subtlety was obviously not one of them, and for all the reasons this was a terrible decision you had decided today you would make an impossibly foolish and possibly deadly choice. A simple glance up aided in your sudden turn. 

Alone on this empty street except for the time-able passing groups of people crossing the street to main street for the shops all having their deals this week you vanished from your shadow’s sight making him stop as he passed you. In a half circle he turned looking for you then took a step back to turn back again to inspect the alley he had passed only to stop and freeze at your small figure peering up at him.

He drew in a deep breath through his parted lips only to close them as you said, “You know, there’s only two reasons you could possibly be following me. Either you’re trying to work up the courage to speak to me or you’re going to kill me.” All at once his heart plummeted at the notion you would ever assume he would harm you. “So, even if it’s the second one, before I die we should have dinner.”

Curiously his brow twitched up as his lips parted through his repeating, “Dinner?”

You nodded, “Yes. Thursday night, I know you already know where I live. Eight o’clock. And if you are going to kill me at least wait until after dessert.” Unable to help it he smirked as you added, “I’ve dusted off an old mousse recipe that you will hate to miss out on. So either way, before we die, we should have a meal where we’re not at opposite ends of a room.” His eyes lowered to the slip of paper between your fingers you offered to him that he happily accepted as you added, “Eight, let me know if you can’t make it.”

He nodded then wet his lips in your half turn before you turned back to him after looking up above his head halting his turn. Raising your hand he watched you grip his tie and raise onto your toes through your firm tug on his tie bringing him closer to you. For all his strength and self training to defend himself and deter others from escaping his wrath he turned to jelly in your presence, even if it earned him a slap or worse he would not fight you in any contact you would grant him. But as his mind rattled your lips had pressed to his urging your eyes shut and him to lean into the brief lasting stolen intimacy.

Before he could blink your blurry presence not even an inch from him drew back leaving him to take in an unsteady breath through his struggle against jerking you back against him again. A single utterance of “mistletoe” from you both crushed his hopes at it being genuine and also stirred a joyous growing grin at your first festive item he checked off his massive check list he had accumulated over the years.

Hopefully his eyes locked on yours as your hand remained in place on his tie in your half step back before you stepped forward again and he leaned in closing the distance for a second quickly deepening kiss holding for a few moments until the next group of people passed. Your lips broke apart and his arm wrapped around you guiding you out of the way and back onto your previous path then froze looking you over easing the slip of paper with your number on it into his pocket. Shifting on your feet you smirked at him asking, “You’re not going to walk me home? No telling who could swoop in and steal your target, and your payday if someone has paid you to take me out.”

With a weak chuckle he took a step joining you for the final two blocks you walked quietly until he looked you over at the foot of the stairs leading to your front door. After he drew in a breath he stated, “I will see you at eight.” You nodded and went to turn away only to stop at his hand moving out at his side that cupped your cheek drawing you closer to him to claim another lingering kiss your hands smoothed around his neck until he broke the kiss reluctantly and watched you climb the steps and go inside.

..

Eight came and his heart nearly stopped seeing you in the figure hugging dress he’d first spotted you in. Even in his dress shirt and slacks he felt a bit under dressed but eased at his first sip of wine through the meal he sat on your left for. A spot he used to his advantage stealing brushes of his fingers against your crossed knees you had pressed against his. Slowly he had been drawn out of his shell and eventually into your bedroom where he finally got to strip you out of that dress and touch and taste every inch of you he could manage.

With morning atop your mattress in the middle of your broken bed frame you drew in a deep breath in the morning light you stirred from sleep across the back of the man you’d spent the night literally breaking your bed in with. A soft giggle left you at his lips pressing once again to your wrist resting beside his face, “So, I’m obviously not dead yet. Change your mind?”

With a smirk he shifted under you and moved above you when you rolled onto your back beside him, hearing him purr, “I still haven’t tasted that mousse.”

At once his grin spread at your massive smile you let out through a giggle before stating, “Ah. No wonder, honoring your word to not kill me till after it’s gone.” He chuckle as your smile grew through a playful giggle, “I know your weakness now. I can just never let us finish any of our desserts.”

“Exactly my thoughts.” Easily he closed the distance to tenderly press his lips to yours and all but smirked at your content hum when you leaned into it.

His lips pressed along your jaw earning another giggle from you, “So sweet for such a serious person.”

“What did you expect from someone you’ve only seen eating at a diner?”

You shrugged, “I just wanted some pancakes and somehow you and your scowl snapped me out of my writer’s block.” His eyes rose only causing his lips to part at the large sketch on a propped up sketch pad on a chair through the open double doors to your studio attached to your bedroom. His stoic position with a mug in hand as he scowled at a newspaper and smoothed a finger on his free hand across the page.

Glancing down at you he purred, “You’ve been watching me too apparently.” You giggled and he asked, “Writers block? What do you write?”

You nipped at your lip then answered in a slightly timid tone, “Small books mainly for teens. Though this new one you inspired is for a more adult audience.”

He smirked then purred again, “Oh now I’m really interested. How adult?”

Making you giggle again and wiggle free from his arms to grab the small leather binder coated in etchings you opened and scooted to his side after placing it in his hands when he sat up. “This one, now it’s just the intro, was from my first stop at the diner, it’s not exactly about you, it was just how you were sitting, and scowling that it formed a story in my mind.”

He wet his lips as you scooted behind him allowing him to use you as a pillow and wrapped your leg around his middle he stroked through reading the first paragraph. The short intro read about a world where guardians were no longer needed and remained in place from where they had been when the last human had needed their assistance filling the world with awkward living statues. Centuries they were frozen in place until one day one of them suddenly blinks and comes back to life, so to speak, and has to find out just who needs truly him on the planet of greedy mortals. With parted lips he glanced over his shoulder at you, touched that he could have inspired such an impressive creature while also a bit puzzled as to whether he had inspired the bit about him being a broken soul or if you had made that up entirely.

With your lips pressed against his shoulder you locked your eyes on his at his asking, “Broken soul? Did I inspire that part?”

“Yes and no.”

He nodded, “My scar..”

Shifting from under him you straddled his lap and eased your hand along his cheek, “Your scar does not make you broken.” His eyes left yours for a moment to glance at the sketch again double checking that you had drawn the scar but not made it the focal point then glanced back at you again, “You are so painfully attractive.” Making his lips part, “One little scar doesn’t diminish that.” Pressing his cheek against your palm as it caressed his cheek again his eyes locked with yours as he searched for any lie in your eyes. “Each line and curve of your face is absolutely flawless, and those eyes of yours.”

“What about my eyes.” He asked in a sheepish growl.

“I have never seen eyes this blue. You’ve seen them all your life in the mirror you have no idea how truly stunning they are. They’re so clear and even through the initial stunning glimpse yes there’s a pain there but you’re far from broken. All I can see is a kind heart hiding behind a scowl.” Your arms smoothed around his neck as his eased around your back, “I didn’t mean to upset you or make you assume I meant you were broken.” Again his lips parted, longing to be back against yours when your nose smoothed against his, “Your scowl just says so many things. And I imagine your smile could say so much more.”

“Doubtful.”

You giggled and clutched the blankets bunched around your waist, “Come on, give me a smile.” He couldn’t help but smirk, “Here, the windows are covered, just the two of us.” You giggled as he rolled his eyes and smoothed his hands over your back again while you raised the blanket over your heads making him chuckle, “Alright, now it’s just you, me and the blanket. Nobody’s gonna see.” His eyes locked on yours through an amused smirk as you smiled down at him, “Just one, it’ll be our little secret.” Your whispering words stirred a growing grin from him making your smile grow in return, “Dazzling.”

Closing the distance his lips pressed to yours hungrily in a kiss he rolled you over through your muffled giggles and laid above you reaching out his arm to grab your notebook he had already secretly seen. “Let’s see just what else I’ve inspired.”

You giggled nervously and buried your head in the crook of his neck, he chuckled settling behind you after rolling you onto your side to curl you in his arms as he opened the book and flipped through, “Scowl, scowl, scowl with a mug, ooh I’m reading the paper in this one..” making you giggle again before he flipped to the next one with the Children and a snowman and commented on it through each and every one of them drawing laughs and giggles from the both of you discussing each. “It seems you’ve all but planned out my Christmas. Makes me wonder what are in those other books of yours.”

“Well I hope I at least got close.”

He shook his head when you rolled onto your back, “I don’t celebrate Christmas.”

“Oh, Hanukkah then?”

He shook his head, “My Grandmother was a strict Catholic. Just never celebrated it.”

“Oh that’s a shame.” Your hands smoothed around his neck, “You’re just going to have to this year.”

He raised a brow, “Oh really?”

You nodded, “Yup. I insist. Holidays and birthdays are mandatory.” Making him softly blush imagining you with him for each event, “When is your birthday?”

“June 14th.”

You couldn’t help but giggle, “What a coincidence.”

“Yours too?”

You nodded, “At least I’ll have plenty of time to pick a present for you.”

“No presents.”

“Non negotiable.” Your lips met his for a quick kiss he quickly leaned into prolonging it.

“Really now…”

You nodded, “Do you not want to celebrate Christmas?”

“I haven’t had anyone to celebrate with.”

You smirked wrapping your arms around his neck to claim another kiss, “We’re celebrating it then.” Claiming another kiss while he held you closely to him.

A glance at your alarm clock earned a low growl from him, “I have to get ready for work.”

You nodded, “No time for breakfast? Or you have to run home and change?”

“I have a bag in my van if you don’t mind me changing here.” You shook your head and accepted his next kiss then climbed out of bed watching as he tugged on his boxer briefs and pants then went shirtless out to his van while you pulled on a pair of panties and a large tank top then made your way into the kitchen to put together a quick breakfast for you both. Within a few minutes he had returned with a bag he carried into your bedroom after a smirking glace into the kitchen at you.

When dressed and cleaned up he walked through to the kitchen wrapping his hands around your middle kissing your neck as he purred, “You’ll still come to the diner for lunch?”

You nodded and glanced over your shoulder at him, “Yes, were you wanting to eat together or are we back to opposite ends of the room?” His smirk faded in his lean in to press his lips to yours firmly before he stepped back pulling out a set of plates, glasses and utensils for you to add the food to after he poured you both some juice. “So what do you do for a living Francis?”

“Production Manager at Gateway Corporation.”

“The home film editors?”

He nodded, “You’re strictly a writer?”

“I also narrate books, helps keep me on a loose schedule.”

“Hmm. I’ll have to look you up.”

You couldn’t help but smirk as you replied, “You might have to ask me my name first.” To which his lips parted realizing he still hadn’t before his brows furrowed at his wondering how you had known his. You giggled softly, “It’s alright, would have helped if I had a name tag too.” Making him smirk as you leaned in to whisper your name into his ear then kissed his cheek.

When the meal was finished you led him to the door where he scooped you up into another fiery kiss then purred, “I’ll see you at lunch, and hopefully at mine for dinner.”

Playfully you quipped back, “Ooh, are you gonna pick me up or am I supposed to follow you home?”

He smiled through a chuckle, “I’ll come and get you. At eight.”

You nodded smoothing a finger along his jaw, “Eight is good.” Making him chuckle when you kissed him again. “I’ll bring the mousse.”

“I’ll make certain we don’t finish it.” Stealing one last kiss then set you down and walked out to his van with his bag as you locked up and cleaned up after breakfast and went back to take the sheets off your bed to wash them. “I’ll see you in your booth.”

…

Eight came along soon enough and after your brief lunch you shared a few stolen teasing brushes of your hands across one another before you both paid and parted ways eager for your dinner. A warning phone call later you were already outside when he pulled up, his widening smirk due to the sight of your silver dress hanging out from under your jacket with your mousse in the same hand a large purse you’d put a change of clothes into in case he wished for you to spend the night.

Leaning over he opened the door for you welcoming you into the already heated vehicle, “You brought a bag. Good.”

You giggled and settled inside with the bag at your feet and the mousse on your lap for the drive over.

.

The drive went longer than you imagined and you couldn’t help but let out a weak chuckle at the next mile marker you’d passed on the long green surrounded road to seemingly nowhere. A rumble came from your left as he said, “It’s a bit out of the way, but I promise the view is worth it.”

You smiled at him, “I’m certain it is.” You looked forward again then nearly gasped at the mansion that came into view after reaching halfway down the long dirt driveway surrounded by trees. “Wow.”

He stole a smiling glance at you, “See, worth it.”

After parking he got out and helped you out and guided you inside the freshly scrubbed yet slightly gloomy mansion. You left your bag by the door and the cake in the kitchen while his hand looped in yours to give you a tour. From room to room you took in each detail you could until you paused in the study you couldn’t help but smile in. At your side he gave you a curious smirk asking, “What’s that look for?”

“This room is perfect for a Christmas tree.”

He glanced around then nodded, “I might be persuaded to actually get one.” Then his head turned towards the distant timer for the oven signaling his leading you to the dining room to enjoy the meal and dessert soon melting into your being carried upstairs after a fiery kiss. Tucked in his arms safely you snuggled through the night, both content it was his day off the next day allowing you as long as you wished in bed. But it was nowhere as long as he wished it to be as you giggled through helping him to his feet to get dressed for the shopping trip you had suggested to add a more festive theme to his home. Along the way however as he eyed you in your jeans and sweater warmly coating you as he pulled on a similar set and took your hand for the walk to his van not noticing the spare key to the front door you pocketed.

In the store he couldn’t help but smile as you led him through each of the tinsel and velvet coated aisles, with only a short time away from you to pick a tree topper while you went to find the restroom. When you returned you smiled at his selection and helped him gather the rest of what you needed until the cart was filled and you paid for the decorations then stopped in the lot nearby to look over the large selections of trees. As ridiculous and tedious as it all seemed through the gathering process he couldn’t help but smile at your bright smile and your body clinging to him so openly with a gleeful list forming for what you wished to do through the holiday season. With large tree in tow you both made your way back to his home after his insisted stop to gather more of your things for another night over.

.

The once gloomy home at least had one bright spot, the study now draped in all you had chosen seemed to be broken from the dreary cursed appearance Francis had felt wash over the house after his first horrendous night there when he was a boy. Leaving only a hope that you could help him free it from the memories trapped in it. With it all set up Francis couldn’t help but smile after glancing down at the festive sweater you held in front of his chest through snapping a picture of you both with your Polaroid. Wetting his lips his eyes locked on yours that had just been wet urging him to do the same then purr, “Any other steps we’ve missed?”

You smirked at him claiming his hands to guide him to the couch where you straddled his lap widening his smirk, “There’s one.” Firmly your lips pressed to his as your hand dipped between you to stroke him earning a low muffled growling moan.

Playfully he rumbled, “Feeling me up next to the tree?”

“Oh I plan on doing more than feel you up.” Making him chuckle as you raised the hem of his sweater he tugged off and tossed beside him before helping you remove yours.

From the couch you eventually moved to the fur rug in front of the roaring fireplace lighting the room dimmed by the growing snow storm outside and speckled with the blinking multicolored Christmas tree lights coating you both. Between chuckles and lingering kisses you laid out across the rug under a thick flannel blanket in each other’s arms. Lovingly his eyes remained fixed on you while his fingers ghosted across your skin until you giggled and turned to reach for the camera just evading your grasp he chuckled and grabbed for you. Back against his chest you snuggled and kissed his cheek, raising your arm you whispered, “Big smile” against his ear then kissed his cheek through the picture before he stole the camera from you to plant his lips on yours for the picture he really wanted through your muffled giggles.

.

After hours of snuggling and cocoa and promises to see to each item on the list you had formed he headed back to work. Though the day a phone call from Francis of a delayed lunch he got food delivered to him making him miss your joint meal. His stop at your apartment did nothing to calm him after noticing your vehicle was gone and there was no sign of you inside according to your neighbor who hadn’t seen or heard you since that morning. So trying to keep himself calm he messaged you trying to see if you would possibly want to stay over at his place when you were done working or with whatever errands you had to finish. But the entire drive home he only tensed at the lingering silence and lack of response from you, at least until he spotted your vehicle parked in his driveway.

A curious smirk grew on his face as he parked and headed inside through the somehow unlocked door he locked behind him. Right away he couldn’t help but smirk at the tinsel coating the stair rail and decorations you’d added into each room he peeked into. A distant closing of cupboards brought him into the kitchen where he crossed his arm eyeing you on your toes peering into each in his bathrobe tied tightly around you and well past your knees. “Need help finding anything?”

You turned around with a nervous grin, “I can’t manage to find the cups, but, it seems everything is put away a bit higher than I can manage anyways.”

He smirked crossing the room to the cupboard you had just looked in and grabbed two mugs he set on the counter from the top shelf he easily reached, “It seems I’ll have to move my dishes lower for you.” He glanced around the somehow brighter and cheerful room, “Looks like you’ve made yourself at home.”

You wet your lips, “That, it sounds bad but I merely borrowed your spare key so I could drop by to help you decorate. Don’t worry I’ve returned it.”

Slowly his eyes sank over you and he purred, “You haven’t bathed.” You shook your head as he playfully narrowed his eyes at you, “And yet you’re in my robe.”

“Well, I imagined you coming home and possibly being upset finding me here, so, I thought I’d surprise you.”

“In my robe…” He crossed to you and eased the tie open then slowly eased it open and bit his lip seeing the velvet ribbon wrapped around you with a bow securing it as your only cover.

“See, in all my decorating I came across a certain sketch of yours. I was going to lay out with some cocoa under the tree.” A quick giggle came from you at his carrying you into the study to finish his daydream ending with your cuddling session continuing again as you shared all you had done.

With his fingers laced in yours he recited your decided list of holiday ideas that soon brought you both to your feet and racing to dress for your first snowman and snow angels you documented with your Polaroid camera again. Adding to the growing pile of pictures until you were back in front of another roaring fire with cocoa in hand under the warm flannel resting across his chest as he marked the items off the list and purred beside your ear, “If we’re going to get close to finishing this list of ours you’re going to have to move in till New Years.” You giggled as his lips met yours, “At least.”

“It just so happens, I brought a duffel bag full of my stuff.” Making him chuckle before your lips met again and he took yet another picture of you both with only one thought on his mind. 

_Thank you Santa._

 


End file.
